The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus and method thereof, a memory medium and a program. More particularly, the present invention relates to a data processing apparatus comprising connection means for connecting the data processing apparatus with a plurality of image output apparatuses, a data processing method for executing an image output job by selecting one of the plurality of image output apparatuses, and a memory medium as well as a program for controlling the data processing.
Conventionally, to execute print processing in a system consisting of a computer and a plurality of printers, an operator has to select a printer which is suitable to contents of the print processing. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a schematic construction of the conventional printer system.
A printer driver 330 included in a computer 300 receives print data related to a print job generated by a print job generator 310, and also receives printer designation data through an input unit 320 such as a keyboard or mouse or the like. The print data is given in a predetermined form, e.g. PDL (Page Description Language). The printer designation data is information which designates one of the plurality of printers 401 to 403 connected to the computer 300, by a printer name or the like.
The printer driver 330, which has received the print data and printer designation data, selects a printer based on the printer designation data and transmits the print data to the selected printer.
In the above-described system, for instance, when an operator wishes to select a printer which can complete the execution of the print job in the shortest time period, the operator must first check contents of print jobs currently being executed or on standby with respect to each of the plurality of printers, then determine a printer which is predicted to complete execution of the print job in the shortest time period based on the contents, and select the determined printer by operating the input unit 320. Such operation is quite cumbersome and not desirable from the standpoint of efficient office work.
In addition, the above-described system requires inefficient operation in a case where an operator needs to select a printer based on its function, e.g., a printer capable of color printing, printer having high resolution, printer capable of both-sides printing and so forth. In this case, the operator must first check the function of each printer to determine a printer having the desired function and select the printer by operating the input unit 320.